Editorial: Our choices for Wayne County

The Detroit News Editorial Board

Correction: David Palmer is running for State House in District 6 as a Democrat. An earlier version of this editorial incorrectly said he was an unoppsed Republican.

Wayne County voters will nominate candidates for the general election in a variety of races on Aug. 4. Here are our primary endorsements. For more candidate information, see The Detroit News/Ballotpedia candidate questionnaires.

Congress

11th District (western Oakland County, western Wayne County): First term incumbent Rep. Haley Stevens is unopposed in the Democratic primary. Five Republicans are seeking the party's nomination. Of the group, the preference is Eric Esshaki, a Birmingham nurse and business attorney, over former Congressman Kerry Bentivolio of Milford, Carmelita Greco of Northville, and Whittney Williams of Canton.

12th District (Downriver, western Wayne County): Rep. Debbie Dingell should get the Democratic nomination over challenger Solomon Rajput of Ypsilanti. Jeff Jones of Taylor is unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Wayne County voters will nominate candidates for the general election in a variety of races on Aug. 4.

13th District (Detroit, parts of Downriver): Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib has certainly made a splash in her first term in Congress, and not often in ways we support. Her socialist screeds are becoming wearisome. Still, she brings passion and energy to her work, and that's something lacking in her Democratic opponent, Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones. Tlaib should be renominated. Three Republicans seek to challenge her, but none returned our questionnaire.

14th District (Detroit, southern Oakland County): Incumbent Rep. Brenda Lawrence faces a challenge from Detroiter Terrance Morrison. She should be renominated. Of her Republican challengers, Daryle Houston of Southfield, a former Wayne County assistant prosecutor, gets the endorsement over Robert Vance Patrick, a Southfield contractor.

Prosecutor

Kym Worthy has held the office for 16 years, and for much of that time we have been at odds with her over her stubbornness in owning up to wrongful convictions. But two years ago, Worthy formed the Conviction Integrity Unit and empowered it to review claims of innocence. Since then, the county has been among the leaders in reversing wrongful convictions. Worthy faces a spirited challenge from Victoria Burton-Harris of Grosse Pointe, a self-described "people's lawyer" endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders. Worthy should be renominated. No Republicans are on the ballot. 

Sheriff

Benny Napoleon has been sheriff since 2009, and has served the county well. He is a national leader in training police to defuse potentially violent situations. He faces a challenge from Democrats Charles Corley II of Westland and T.P. Nykoriak of Detroit. Napoleon should be renominated. No Republicans are seeking the office. 

Clerk

Both Democratic incumbent Cathy Garrett of Detroit and her Republican challenger Dylan Gomula of Plymouth are unopposed in the primary. 

Treasurer

Even a whiff of scandal is a disqualifier for a job that requires the total trust of the public. Incumbent Treasurer Eric Sabree, was accused of giving relatives preferential treatment in tax foreclosure proceedings. County voters should put someone new in the Treasurer's office. Beverly Kindle-Walker, who has three decades of public and private sector experience, is the better choice over Sabree and Angelo Brown for the Democratic nomination. Anthony Wozniak of Livonia is unopposed on the Republican ballot.

Register of Deeds

Democratic Incumbent Bernard Youngblood should be nominated over challenger Ricardo Moore of Detroit. Republican Parker Burns of Plymouth is alone on the GOP ballot.

State House

1st District (Detroit, Grosse Pointe) Incumbent Democrat Rep. Tenisha Yancey of Grosse Pointe and Republican Latricia Ann Lanier of Detroit are unopposed. 

2nd District (Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms) Democratic incumbent Rep. Joe Tate of Detroit should be renominated over challenger Taylor Harrell of Detroit. Republican Mayra Rodriguez of Grosse Pointe Farms is unopposed.

3rd District (Detroit): Eight Democrats are on the ballot. Former gubernatorial contender Shri Thanedar is among them and should get the nomination. Republican Anita Vinson is unopposed.

4th District (Detroit, Hamtramck) 13 Democrats are seeking the nomination to fill this open seat. Of the group, Delorean Holmes, deputy director of the Detroit Port Authority, stands out. Howard Weathington of Detroit is unopposed for the Republican nomination. 

5th District (Detroit): Democratic Incumbent Rep. Cynthia Johnson should get the nomination over Rita Ross and Jermaine Tobey. Republican Harold Day is unopposed.

6th District (Detroit): Incumbent Democrat Rep. Tyrone Carter should get the nomination over Ivy Neal and David Palmer. 

7th District (Detroit, Highland Park): Seven Democrats are seeking this nomination. It should go to Lee Yancy, a Livernois Ave. business owner. Republican Ronald Cole is unopposed. 

8th District (Detroit) Former congressional staffer George Etheridge is the preferred choice in the Democratic primary over Anthony Bradford, Reggie Davis and Stephanie Young. Republican Miroslawa Teresa Gorak is unopposed. 

9th District (Detroit, Dearborn): Incumbent Democratic Rep. Karen Whitsett should be renominated over Marc Cummings, Nicole Elcock and Roslyn Ogburn. Republican James Stephens of Dearborn is unopposed. 

10th District (Detroit, Redford Township) Of the eight Democratic candidates, the preferred choice is Mary Cavanagh of Redford Township, who is deeply involved in vocational training. Republican Cathy Alcorn of Redford Township is unopposed.

11th District (Inkster, Garden City): Incumbent Democratic Rep. Jewell Jones of Inkster is unopposed, as is Republican James Townsend of Garden City.

12th District (Taylor, Romulus): Incumbent Rep. Alex Garza should be renominated over his Democratic challengers Derrick A. Gyorkos of Taylor and Ed Martell of Romulus. Republican Michelle Bailey of Romulus is unopposed.

13th District (Southgate, Allen Park): Southgate Councilman Bill Colovos should get the Democratic nomination over Timothy Estheimer and Tullio Liberati. Republican Megan Frump is unopposed. 

14th District (Lincoln Park and vicinity): Democratic incumbent Rep. Cara Clemente of Lincoln Park should be renominated over challenger Senan Saleh of Lincoln Park. Republican Darrell Stasik of Riverview is unopposed. 

15th District (Dearborn): Democratic incumbent Rep. Abdullah Hammoud and Republican challenger Carla O'Neill are unopposed. 

16th District (Westland): Democratic incumbent Rep. Kevin Coleman is unopposed. Neither of the Republicans, Emily Bauman and Josephine Brown, answered our questionnaire. All are from Westland. 

17th District (Rockwood, Monroe): Incumbent Rep. Joe Bellino Jr. is unopposed for the Republican nomination. Neither of the Democrats, Scott Cramton and Christopher Slat, responded to our questionnaire.

19th District (Livonia): Democratic incumbent Rep. Laurie Pohutsky is running unopposed. Of the three Republican challengers, Martha Ptashnik, a public school teacher, is preferred over Penny Crider and Regina Gargus.

20th District (Plymouth, Northville): Democratic incumbent Rep. Matt Koleszar is unopposed. On the Republican side, John Lacny is the choice over Laura Roush. 

21st District (Canton Township and vicinity): Small business owner and former TV reporter Laurel Hess is the preferred choice in the Republican primary over Harold Bullock, James Chapman and Jessica Sohoza of Van Buren Township and James Nangle of Canton Township. Neither of the Democrats, Ethan Petzold and Ranjeev Puri, returned a questionnaire.

23rd District (Brownstown and vicinity): Democratic incumbent Rep. Darrin Camilleri and Republican challenger John Poe are unopposed. 

Endorsements are determined independently by The Detroit News Editorial Board and have no influence on news coverage.